which ought to have been accomplished under
shadow of the darkness. It was made to no purpose. To the horror and
amazement of the French, to the surprise and joy of the Allies,
Kleist's corps of Prussians showed themselves on the heights; and,
descending by the only road which Vandamme had counted upon as open,
placed him entirely in a _cul de sac_. The French were utterly
confounded. They lost all order, all confidence, both in themselves and
their leaders; and, rushing furiously up the ascent, endeavoured to
break through. Moreover, so completely unlooked-for, on the side of the
Prussians, was the situation in which they found themselves, that at
first they did not well know how to act. Five hundred French cavalry
broke in upon a division of the landwehr; sabred many of the infantry,
and, for a moment, gained possession of the guns. But it was only for a
moment. The Prussians recovered from their surprise; and never was
defeat more absolute than that which Vandamme's luckless corps
sustained. Many prisoners were taken, including the general-in-chief.
All the artillery, ammunition cars, and standards, fell into the hands
of the Allies, and the remnant of the men that did escape made their
way, one by one, and destitute even of their arms, through the forest,
where tract there was none.

Such is a true detail of the leading events in the battle of Kulm; a
victory of which the Austrians, with great justice, make much; which
they, the Russians, and Prussians, have equally commemorated by
monuments erected on the spot, but for which the imprudence of the
French commander is at least as much to be thanked as the sagacity of
Colloredo, or the daring of Kleist. It was, with one exception,--the
noble resistance of the Russian Guard under Ostermann,--a gross blunder
on both sides; it might in its results have been fatal to either,
though it ended in the discomfiture of the French. For the Allies, who
had been on the very eve of falling out among themselves, were, in
consequence of the success at Kulm, reunited; and the tide of victory,
which had flowed so fiercely against them a few days previously, turned
once more in their favour. Of its course, however, I have, in this
place, no business to speak. Let me, therefore, return to myself and my
own proceedings.

I had stood before this upon the ridge of the hill, and looked forth
over the battle field below. I had quitted my own carriage, and walked
down; as I quitted now the d